Jacob Böhme and His World

Jacob B hme (1575-1624) is famous as a shoemaker and spiritual author. His works and thought are frequently studied as a product of his mystical illumination.

Jacob B hme and His World adopts a different perspective. It seeks to demystify B hme by focusing on aspects of his immediate cultural and social context and the intellectual currents of his time, including B hme's writing as literature, the social conditions in G rlitz, B hme's correspondence networks, a contemporary "crisis of Piety," Paracelsian and Kabbalistic currents, astrology, astronomy and alchemy, and his relationship to other dissenting authors. Relevant facets of reception include B hme's philosophical standing, his contributions to pre-Pietism, and early English translations of his works.